In an era where music tastes are constantly evolving, WXPN, the beloved public radio station operated by the University of Pennsylvania, has been at the forefront of sharing the latest and greatest music has to offer to listeners of all ages.
Every year, WXPN celebrates its highly anticipated year-end tradition of counting down the 885 greatest songs of the 21st Century. But this list of songs is not just a mere countdown—it’s a tribute to the artists, genres, and cultural shifts that have shaped the musical identity of the 21st Century and also helped shape the modern music-loving community.
Voted on by thousands of passionate listeners, this countdown celebrates modern music across all genres while helping WXPN and its listeners share, discover, and discuss great music as a community.
For music aficionados, this list is an opportunity to view and/or debate where some of the top songs of the last decade and a half rank. For those less familiar, it’s an opportunity to discover some of the best songs around that may have missed your playlist.
This year’s countdown is already well underway as the votes are counted, and all that’s left is to see where your favorites from this century rank.
Among those already listed are ‘Golden Age’ by TV On the Radio (885); ‘Dani California’ by the Red Hot Chili Peppers (800); ‘Don’t Carry it All’ by The Decemberists (700); ‘Silver Lining’ by Philadelphia’s own Mt. Joy (605); and the most recent song unveiled, ‘Impossible Soul’ by Sufjan Stevens (498).
“Coming off of last year’s amazing 885 Greatest Songs by Women, this year, we’re looking back at the last 25 years in music for the year – the 885 Greatest Songs of the 21st Century,” says Associate General Manager For Programming, Bruce Warren. “Our countdowns are world famous for a great reason. Only a member-supported radio station like WXPN can do something like this, thanks to the support of listeners, and once again, the XPN community voted countdown promises to be filled with great songs and lots of surprises.”
Throughout the celebration, WXPN also provided in-depth commentary, highlighting many of the songs mentioned on the list. These commentaries are not just about the music, however, but also about the stories behind each song. For many listeners, the countdown was more than just a ranking of songs; it was an opportunity to rediscover old favorites, fall in love with new jams, and reflect on the music that has shaped lives over the past two decades.
For more information, visit xpn.org
